Sex talk scandal: Judicial commission to probe conspiracy angle

The state Cabinet on Wednesday decided to appoint retired district judge P S Antony to inquire into the sex talk scandal that lead to the resignation of senior NCP leader AK Saseendran from the ministry.

The judicial commission will probe the conspiracy behind the scandal and also the illegal aspects of airing the audio clip along with other factors.

Related: Was ex-Kerala minister honey trapped or wire tapped?
 

The terms of investigation of the commission include:

•  To investigate context of the telephone conversation.
•  Was there any conspiracy behind it?
•  Was the conversation edited with nefarious intentions?
•  Was the audio clip manipulated?
•  Who played behind the scandal?
•  Did the news channel violate law in broadcasting the audio clip?
   

Related: Sleaze phone leak: Resignation of minister leaves many questions behind


Besides this, the commission would be free to probe any matter it finds pertinent to bring out the truth behind it. The commission is expected to submit its report in three months.
 

Related: Sex and sleaze in politics: Five scandals that forced Kerala ministers' exit
 

The government decided to go for a judicial probe as there was no complaint filed by either the woman involved or the former minister. The police took the stand that taking a criminal case was impossible in the absence of a formal complaint. Even though the NCP alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the phone call leak, Saseedran did not file a complaint.

The intelligence wing of the state government believes that the former minister was a victim of honey trapping. The sex-talk scandal created a political tremor in the state when Mangalam News aired an audio clip of the former minister allegedly engrossed in a sex talk over phone. The minister resigned within hours after the expose.

• sleaze phone call
• AK Saseendran
• honey trap
• judicial probe